Psalm 42:11 “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”
Psalm 62:5–6 “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.”
What is hope? Why is it so hard to find? And how do we find it? Is it a feeling? An in depth emotion we feel when we are happy? Is it an experience perhaps when a loved one comes through impossible odds? Or is it when that still, small voice whispers in the darkness I am with you?
I have faced my fair share of tragedy like everyone, and although my tragedy may not look like yours, the impact is the same. Long days of staring desolately out of the window, hours and hours of tears, heaviness, pain and the list goes on. But in these difficult circumstances, where is hope? If we look at the verses in Psalm 42 and 65, it is pretty straight forward. Our hope is God. Then again, is it really that simple? I would like to say it is. If you like me were destroyed emotionally by a tragedy, a decision or another person, it doesn't always feel that simple. Some times it is downright hard to find hope, no matter how strong our faith is or how long we've walked with the Lord.
So in all this, where is hope?
The answer is simple. Our hope is in the Lord.
One thing I've learned in my tragedy is that God's grace is sufficient for me, and I truly find my hope right where the Bible says it is. We find it in God. There have been days when it wasn't simple, and there were days when the still small voice had to shout louder than a hurricane to get my attention. But despite these times, God and all his promises have remained my hope.
So is hope a feeling? An experience? A state of mind? No. Hope is our willingness to take God at His word and let Him be our hope. Until next time, God bless you and keep you.
I would love to hear your comments about your views on hope.
My new book If Only in my Dreams is a fiction tale about hope. I'd love for you to check it out. https://www.amazon.ca/Only-Dreams-Thomas-Family-Saga-ebook/dp/B08VDQZK32